Set Fire to the Rain
by VermilionGoddess
Summary: Their relationship was always filled with an unkind game of give and take. This gift was one he would not squander.


In light of the most recent chapters of the Bleach manga this little one shot came to mind based on my understanding of the content of the most recent arc. This is by no means accurate to what will come to be but a fictional burst that came in light of Kubo's imagination. The name is based on the song _Set Fire to the Rain_ by Adele that just seemed to fit the mood.

The small portion of text '_like this'_ is from the front of one of the enveloped letters that Ryuuken wrote.

* * *

**Set Fire to the Rain**

His lungs burned, though the one of the left it far more pronounced. Ryuuken truthfully would have preferred to swallow a few hot coals than this, but the price was worth it so he could not take back his reckless actions. Dying to protect the thing more important to him was more valuable than continuing to live in silence. Coughing weakly he couldn't seem to get any air into his body, giving him almost a sensation of feeling shriveled. Over the pain it was difficult to even hear the shouting, but he knew it must have been painfully loud to anyone able to hear properly. Almost lazily his head turned against the wet pavement to watch the bodies in motion. His attacker was gone, fled. Isshin it appeared he had begun to follow him before something caught his attention and prevented him from going further. The Kurosaki boy was just staring at him or perhaps not him. His body was shifted and a new wave of pain hit him when the first had been beginning to numb almost. He hadn't the breath or the energy to yell so he settled for looking at the cause to try and get his displeasure of being moved across. Any annoyance faded, however, when he saw who was lifting him up off the street.

Uryuu looked down at his father, lump in his throat aching. Despite having a hard time swallowing he was breathing raggedly having run hard to get to Ryuuken's body after it fell. He'd seen from the distance the conflict begin and then the way his father had dove into it taking with him the one who had gone after his own head. His knees felt weak and he'd sunk down to the ground all too easily and with trembling hands lifted up the weight, fingers tight in white fabric so it wouldn't drop.

The both of them had been soaked from the rain so neither could complain about the wet ground. Uryuu's own hair was stuck to his head, glasses dotted with droplets that refused to slid down the glass, but he by far better off than his father. Ryuuken's hair was wet and slightly burnt in a few places, glasses gone missing somewhere likely destroyed, hair hanging heavy with rain water and then there was the fair piece missing on the left side of his torso. Part of his lung was gone from that last explosion, he could literally see it with his own eye and his stomach rolled. Even Tense Zangetsu through his body had been less disturbing to him than this.

Isshin was approaching quickly and kneeling down as well to take a look at the wounds. Few times did he ever wish valiantly that he could use a decent healing kidou. Based on the wounds only a real member of the forth could do what would be needed to survive. There were no such people in Karakura, Kisuke could work miracles but that much healing was even out of his other friend's hands. That did not mean he wanted to accept it anymore than it seemed the kid did. Hand clenching in the black hakama he wore Isshin debating the chance if they brought him to Soul Society, but he knew before he began to seriously debate it would be too long a trip.

Not even aware of older man kneeling as well Uryuu just watched his father, mouth moving sightly as if trying to speak. Leaning himself over more and holding the dead weight against himself he could make out some of what the man was trying to say to him.

"...don't forget..who you are." Those were parting words.

The body in his arms was going slack and it awakened a panic in Uryuu. This could not be happening. No amount of denial could undo what had been done. No matter how he told himself that it would be alright, that he must be mistaken, that help was coming, Ryuuken did not open his eyes again. His hold tightened until his knuckles bleached white from the strain and curling around the now empty body like he could still hold onto something.

Urahara walked up quietly and looked down at the pair, eyes closing to wish the boy some mercy. A side glance to Isshin did not surprised him to see the severe frown and downcast look. Odd as their relationship had been Ryuuken and Isshin had been friends in their own ways, this was a loss. Orihime was huddled up, arms around herself but no longer to try and keep some of the chill from the rain at bay as tears began to overflow. The girl hadn't known the man well but he'd been kind of her and had cared about her friend. Chad kept even with Inoue, silent and somber well aware what it was like to lose family. They all knew something about loss but that never made it easier a second or third time, it was always fresh wounds that at times overlapped the old. All they could do was wait quietly and help to pick up the pieces.

Closing his eyes Uryuu denied to himself that his eyes were wet or burning, he wouldn't cry at his age. Mother was gone. Souken was gone as well. Now even Ryuuken was gone. There was no one left but him, finally he was the last quincy. The _things _that had done this were not quincy, never. A true quincy couldn't kill their own just because they had opted to take another path.

Suddenly all he could think was that he'd never understand his father like his teacher had wished he could. There was so much of his father he would never be able to understand. The opportunity to change this had passed and he had squandered it, too busy with grudges and avoidance instead of trying to talk. Did that mean he'd progressed less as a person than he'd thought? Yes he could forgive shinigami now, he really could. He could even be their friend, though some days he thought it was still rather like being enemies with the friends he had. But he hadn't been able to amend things with his only flesh and blood left. It was sad.

With his eyes closed he was unaware that his father's soul had materialized until he heard him speak.

"Kurosaki, get it over with. Perform the konso." The plus stood addressing Ichigo, meeting his eyes without any difficulty. Even in death what had killed him remained visible like with all other souls. "No reason to linger here. Any of you." Ryuuken did not want to be grieved, he'd never expected to be and what little he'd seen so far made him wish he was right. Leaving behind his son was hard enough but leaving him looking like he was a child again only made it all the worse.

The brusque manner in which they were told to pick themselves up made Isshin crack a smile of all things. The now former quincy had never been good with treating much of anything delicately.

Ichigo hesitated, thinking at least Ishida deserved a minute alone with his dad to say goodbye. Looking between the pair in question he waited.

Catching some of what the substitute wanted of him the ghost shook it's head. "Everything he needs to know I left for him to find. When he's prepared it's waiting." Letters he'd written were indeed locked away to be given to his son in the case he passed away early. Secrets kept would be shared, his own and of the quincy. The full story about Souken. All of it was not something that needed to be aired in public now. "Kurosaki you had better protect my son."

The statement full of paternal threat only made Ichigo nod, he couldn't deny that especially if he planned as much already. Ishida was his friend despite his stuck up ways. But the substitute shinigami hesitated again before lifting Zangetsu. Kisuke gave his student a nod telling him to proceed, well aware if Ryuuken's soul was fully destroyed Uryuu would perhaps become inconsolable.

Observing throat too tight to speak Uryuu could only stare at the somewhat transparent image of his father, tear finally freed. The rain hid the signs that he'd finally broken down and had to accept this was it. Body still in his arms it felt less real, like it was nothing but baggage. Konso was short and watching his father begin to fade away he wanted to reach to stop him, but the black swallowtail was already fluttering up higher in the sky undaunted by the falling rain. "Dad..." It was strained, weak and inaudible over the sound of the falling rain. He hadn't used the word in years and it felt alien to him.

"I-I-Ishida-kun?" Inoue managed to get out between her soft hiccups, resting a hand against her friend's back gently. She was worried about him and he doubted she was the only one.

Isshin and Kisuke were walking closer and going to take the body from the boy out of kindness. The longer he clung to it the more the image of it there would remain to haunt him. As it was the trauma of having a parent sacrifice themselves for you would remain, a clear image of the man's lifeless body was not one they should allow to accompany. They got resistance, but it was expected.

"Don't." It came out stronger than he had expected, sharper to reveal the anger below the surface of his grief. Uryuu looked at the men and shook his head. "I'll carry him." It did not seem right to hand his father off, even to them. So stubbornly he pushed himself to stand. Dead weight was heavy but he only gritted his teeth and bore it. It was a small honor he could at least give his father to be a faithful son to him in death. As a quincy it was only right he do this, not discard the only one other than him.

Uncertainly passed over the adults before Urahara seemed to decide it was for the best, nodding his head. "We'll take him to the shop to take care of if that is acceptable Ishida-san."

"It's fine." Softer this time Uryuu did not look forward to the trip of to reaching the destination. The entire trip was a blur, a trek in the rain constantly surrounded by the sound that only reminded him of what had happened. Ryuuken getting in the way, attacking to force his assailant from him. Ryuuken using everything he had to fight despite his injuries. Ryuuken falling in the rain, pale and pained. Ryuuken's body in his arms, limp and useless. It was perhaps too much for him even after the war and his near death at Ichigo's hands.

At the Urahara Shop there was no resistance when Isshin reached for the body, it was given. What was left was just a boy. Kisuke gave Isshin a direction and shooed him away.

With a glance to the last living Ishida he knew of Kisuke went on his way into his office. Unlocking several kidou bonds and locks the shopkeeper removed his hat, setting it aside before he removed the small lockbox that he had kept at Ryuuken's request. It was old and rusted at the hinges, not betraying the contents inside. Why the man had chosen to leave it with him Urahara had never been certain but he had not denied the request. Leaving his hat where it was he carried the box with him wishing it had been years later he had to present this instead of now.

Orihime had managed to get the dazed and distance Uryuu to take a towel to start to dry himself off, though he had largely just done nothing with it. Concerned she'd just taken it upon herself to dry his hair, wishing there was more she could do. Ichigo was sitting nearby, quiet just watching like some kind of silent bodyguard. Chad had accepted helping Tessai to make some tea to try and warm the teens up. Nothing was getting any kind of response out of Uryuu though.

Nothing until Urahara set down the box in front of the grief ridden boy. "This is what your father left to you Ishida-san. Would you like to open it now?"

A flicker of attention and need flared up. "Yes." Uryuu suddenly felt he needed some kind of connection to his father. A small hope of being able to find something in what was left behind was a hope he could cling to.

Setting a small key down on the table he pushed it toward the teenager. "Here you are. I do not know what is inside, he only asked I keep it for him in case something should happen to him. I think it might be best if you look at the contents alone." Casting a look to the other two in the room he waited for them to grant his strong urging, it hadn't quite been an order. Ichigo went without any argument or a look back, he understood. Orihime was hesitant and Kisuke closed a hand over her shoulder to guide her out of the sitting room to leave Uryuu alone.

Staring at the small iron box and turning the key between his fingers, finding it strangely soothing despite the scratch of the rough edges. He stayed that way for several minutes, silent and towel around his shoulders and still half soaked from the rain before he reached to pull the lockbox closer. The key turned easily and the lid lifted to show him the pile of letters inside among a few other things that included photos. Some of the images of his mother and grandfather had been kept in here, for safe keeping possibly. Despite how tired his eyes felt he reached in and pulled out one of the envelopes to see his name neatly written in his father's writing across the front.

_'Uryuu, my son.'_

Maybe there was still a chance he could understand his father after all_._


End file.
